Taiwan, Let's Go! Part II

Continuing from our previous episode, where we were pleasantly surprised by the charming city of Taichung, which is often just a stopover point, we now head to Nantou. Our destination is Cingjing Farm and its surrounding area, which is said to be the Switzerland of Taiwan due to its location in a high mountain valley and its year-round cool climate.

Chaos ensued from the start of our journey due to our lack of thorough planning. We naively assumed everything would be smooth sailing. Upon arriving at the THSR ticket counter in Taichung, we discovered that the direct train to Jingjing was fully booked. The last train had departed at 1 pm, and it was already 3 pm. We were left with no choice but to wait anxiously for the final train at 3:45 pm. Meanwhile, our friend took a train to Puli and then transferred to another train to Jingjing. Many readers of the first part of our story might be confused as to why we went to the high-speed rail station when our accommodation was near Taichung Main Station. The reason was that we intended to store our large luggage there, as we would be taking the high-speed rail back to Taipei on our return trip. We weren't in a hurry; we just wanted to try it out. However, the price for the luggage storage was exorbitant, and the compartment was smaller than our large 28-inch suitcase. In the end, we wasted both time and taxi fare for nothing, and we still had to lug our large suitcase around. On the other hand, my sister, who was traveling with us, had a regular 20-inch suitcase and had no problems.

This is the lobby of our accommodation. It is a duplex villa with 2 floors, 2 bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms. We booked it for 4,070 baht.

Puli Station is a small station with various shops and amenities nearby. If you have a long wait, there are options like KFC, fast food, local food, and a supermarket. There's even a hair salon. While some reviews describe it as rural, it's actually quite developed, especially for those accustomed to life outside major cities. It has a small shopping mall, similar to a district town in a medium-sized province in Thailand. In fact, some provinces are less developed than Puli. So, don't worry about Puli even if you have a long layover, especially during non-peak hours or weekdays.

The only issue I encountered was the language barrier. No one spoke English, which made it difficult to purchase an additional ticket for my child. While adults had purchased passes, children were free, but required a ticket for a seat. Unfortunately, communication proved impossible. When the train became full, we ended up sitting together on laps due to the holiday season coinciding with Chinese New Year and Taiwan's National Day.

The view from the car ride up the mountain to Jingjing Farm.

The journey from Taichung to Puli took one hour by bus, followed by a 45-minute wait in Puli before boarding another bus to Cingjing for another hour. While the total travel time of 2 hours and 45 minutes may seem lengthy, the bus ride was enjoyable, offering scenic views and glimpses of various tree species similar to those found back home. The winding and narrow mountain roads leading to Cingjing can cause motion sickness for some passengers, so taking medication beforehand is recommended. Additionally, the altitude change can lead to ear discomfort, so it's advisable to bring earplugs or other protective measures. Upon arrival, it was already dark, and the guesthouse was difficult to locate due to the lack of lighting. Despite the early evening hour of 6 pm, darkness had already descended, and the temperature was chilly. Fortunately, the Cingjing Guesthouse, where we stayed, offered convenient amenities, affordable prices, and proximity to restaurants and bus stops. However, its aesthetic appeal was somewhat lacking. The further and more challenging the journey, the more breathtaking the scenery became. Our guesthouse was situated on a steep incline, accessible via a 300-meter uphill walk along the road adjacent to the Cingjing Guesthouse. The climb was strenuous, leaving us breathless, especially with our heavy luggage and baby stroller. However, upon reaching our destination, we were greeted with stunning views, a refreshing chill, and immense satisfaction. Let's dive into the captivating photos!

This is the door to the second floor.

The lower image shows a second-floor room with a balcony offering scenic views and an ensuite bathroom.

This is the downstairs room.

The image below shows a food district. As you walk, you will see beautiful light displays like the one in the picture. There are local restaurants, a Mos Burger, a Starbucks, and many other shops. There is also a hot pot restaurant and a 7-Eleven. If you are interested in trying local food, there is a designated seating area.

Be careful with your wallet when entering this 7-Eleven branch. There are adorable souvenirs related to the sheep and Muji. Your wallet will tremble.

The view from the restaurant is amazing. At night, there is a hot pot available at a moderate price. If you are not a fan of hot pot, you can brave the cold wind and dine downstairs, where the view is equally stunning. The breakfast here is delicious, even better than the one in Taipei. It consists of Chinese dishes, including fried eggs, sausages, salad, soy milk, and the highly recommended green winter melon juice, which has a brownish color similar to herbal tea. The restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes, as evidenced by the table full of dishes with cow and sheep patterns, which are all made with green winter melon juice.

After a satisfying meal and taking photos around our accommodation, we headed out to wait for the bus to the sheep farm, the highlight of our trip. We were so excited, wondering if it would be as beautiful as everyone said and if it was worth the long journey. See the photos and decide for yourselves! For us, it was worth it. The views were stunning, the air was fresh, and it was a new experience for our son. He learned a lot from this trip because it wasn't as comfortable as our trip to Japan. But traveling in Taiwan is slow-paced, and there's no need to jostle with crowds. Our son could run freely in the vast fields. I recommend spending the whole day here. There's so much to explore and so many photo opportunities. We only managed to see a third of it because we had to rush back to Taipei. What a shame! We'll have to come back again. 😉

Here are some photos. Oh, one more thing: board the same bus you took to get to your accommodation. The ride takes about 20 minutes. Many people get off at the first stop where you can see the farm, but I recommend staying on until the second stop and then walking downhill. It's less tiring. Then exit at the bottom, where you'll find the bus stop to return to your accommodation. If you don't have much luggage, you can stay on the bus and get off at Ximending. But if you're not as tired as we were, you can walk along the scenic Skywalk (it's beautiful but tiring) and follow the trail until you reach the bus stop to return to Ximending.

The farm paths are like this: strollers are not usable, so let your children run free.

The photos are unedited, with the original colors and lighting. They were taken with an iPhone 6S, an iPhone 6, and a Nikon J5, a small camera without any special features.

The beautiful castle in the distance can be seen from the farm. It's a pity I couldn't get there.

Entering Sky Walk, you can see the accommodation area in the distance. There are many beautiful places to stay. If I have the chance, I will try staying at other places.

This is the mountain we took a bus up to. It's incredibly intricate and complex, with a captivating beauty that never gets old.

Farewell, Jingjing! Your journey to Taipei has come to an end. This concludes our review of Taiwan, as Taipei has been extensively reviewed. The total cost per person, including all travel expenses, accommodation, food, and souvenirs, was approximately 14,000 baht for adults (plus or minus 300 baht). For our 4.5-year-old son, the cost was around 9,000 baht, which covered his flight ticket and shared meals. Children under 5 years old receive free accommodation and transportation.

For those who want more information, there are travel logs available. You can reach out to me through this channel: readme.me